The Ashes Explained: Origins, the Urn and Famous Series
A guide to the Ashes, the England v Australia Test series: how it began in 1882, what the urn is, how a series works and its most famous moments.
The Ashes is the oldest and most famous rivalry in Test cricket, contested between England and Australia. It is played for a small urn that is said to contain the ashes of a cricket bail, and its history is bound up with the early days of international cricket. Series are normally played every two years or so, with hosting duties alternating between the two countries.
How the name began
In August 1882, Australia beat England at The Oval by seven runs, the first defeat for England on home soil in a Test. The Sporting Times printed a mock obituary, saying English cricket had died and that the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. When England toured Australia the next winter under Ivo Bligh, the press spoke of his mission to regain the ashes.
The urn
After Bligh’s team won the series in 1882–83, a small urn was presented to him. It is generally said to hold the burnt remains of a bail, although the exact contents have been debated. The urn is kept at the museum at Lord’s and rarely travels, even when Australia hold the Ashes. Instead the winners are presented with a replica crystal trophy, which is the one lifted at the end of a series.
How a series works
An Ashes series is normally made up of five Test matches. The team that wins the most matches wins the series. If the series is drawn, the team already holding the Ashes retains them, which was the case in 2023 when the series finished level at two wins each and Australia kept the urn.
In England, the grounds used often include Lord’s, Edgbaston, Headingley, Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, The Oval and the Riverside. In Australia, the Test venues include the Gabba in Brisbane, Adelaide Oval, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground and Perth. The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne is a long-running tradition.
Famous series and moments
Several Ashes series are remembered as classics. The Bodyline series of 1932–33 was marked by England’s controversial tactics and caused a diplomatic row. In 1981 at Headingley, Ian Botham’s innings helped England win after following on. At Edgbaston in 2005, England beat Australia by two runs in one of the closest Tests ever played. In 2019, Ben Stokes played a memorable innings of 135 not out at Headingley to win a Test that seemed lost.
Great players
Australian batter Don Bradman, whose Test average was 99.94, made much of his reputation in Ashes contests. Other players who have shaped the series include Shane Warne, whose first ball in Ashes cricket in 1993 became known as the ball of the century, and England’s Ian Botham. The rivalry has produced a rich supply of stories.
The women’s Ashes
A women’s Ashes has been contested since the 1930s, with the first series in 1934–35. In recent years, the women’s Ashes has been played as a multi-format series, with points awarded across Tests, one-day internationals and Twenty20 internationals.
Why it matters
The Ashes draws large crowds, intense media attention and a sense of history that few other contests can match. Winning the urn is a source of national pride, and the rivalry has helped to keep Test cricket in the public eye. This guide covers the series up to the end of 2024 and does not include later editions.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the Ashes?
A newspaper published a mock obituary of English cricket after Australia’s win at The Oval in 1882, saying the ashes would be taken to Australia. The name stuck after England’s tour of 1882–83.
Where is the Ashes urn?
The urn is kept at the museum at Lord’s and does not usually travel. Winners receive a replica crystal trophy.
What happens if an Ashes series is drawn?
The team that held the Ashes before the series keeps them.